In today's world it has become increasingly difficult to discern between truth and lies. This was brought into sharp focus for me by a TED talk posted on Facebook recently. (I will post the link to it at the end of this blog.) It shows how easy it is to be fooled, (read deceived), by the technology that is now available. This technology can generate lifelike images of real people and put words on their lips that they have never said. The creator of this technology is so concerned about its possible misuse that he is in process of developing a platform that will discern between real and fake that he hopes will be made available to the public in the future.
This should raise huge red flags for us. We tend to believe whatever the media puts before us with whatever slant they want to put on it. It can depend upon which news we watch and the political leanings of that particular channel. We are probably aware of propaganda which is used in countries such as China and North Korea to mention just two, but are we aware that we can too easily be influenced by subtle twists in our so-called 'free' countries? 'Fake news' has become a new buzz word since Donald Trump coined it. We tend to laugh that off, but I am becoming increasingly cautious about just 'writing off' such claims as ridiculous. The media can slant things by only telling the part of a story that fits their purposes.
If we are to be serious about knowing truth we need to dig deeper and listen to people who bring another perspective. Unfortunately some of those who desire to seek out the truth and publish it are being shut down on some platforms in the USA - YouTube and other media outlets. Interesting!
I am not saying that we should believe everything that is said 'behind the news' either. But we need to hear both sides in order to make a truly informed opinion. Sometimes we need to just hold both loosely and wait and see.
How can we guard against being deceived? Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, his young protege, in 2 Timothy 3 about what would be happening in the last days and one of the things he said is 'But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.' That infers that the deceivers will believe that they are speaking the truth. Because they are convinced they are speaking truth people will believe them. In 2 Timothy 3:13 Paul goes on to instruct Timothy on how to avoid being deceived......'But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.'
I believe that we are most certainly living in the last days; there are too many things converging which the Biblical prophets have spoken of for me to think otherwise. If you want to know and understand truth you need to know the One who is the way, the truth and the life, Jesus Christ. It was lies from seemingly righteous religious leaders that plagued his ministry and finally put him to death on a cross. We live in far more subtly deceptive times than Timothy did. How will you guard yourself? If you choose to trust your own wisdom it will fail you. Only the wisdom and truth found through in the Word of God and faith in Jesus Christ will keep you from being deceived. It takes humility to admit the need for wisdom outside of ourself. Are you up to it?
Prayer: Holy and wise God, help me to seek your wisdom when faced with decisions to make, and plant in me the desire to seek truth through relationship with Jesus Christ and through the understanding of your Word. Amen
https://www.ted.com/talks/supasorn_suwajanakorn_fake_videos_of_real_people_and_how_to_spot_them?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
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